How do you know if a dog has a cold?
Autumn and winter are cold seasons. And not only with us, but also with pets. To avoid complications, it is important to know the first signs of a cold in dogs and start treatment in a timely manner. We will talk about how to understand that a dog has a cold in our article.
Can a dog catch a cold?
Let’s start with the main thing: there is no diagnosis of a “cold” for dogs. If your pet was diagnosed with such a diagnosis in a veterinary clinic, specify what exactly the dog is sick with, or change the veterinary clinic.
Colds as we know them do not occur in dogs. Animals are not susceptible to human viruses and vice versa. Therefore, if you see such “standard” symptoms of a cold in pets as a runny nose, sneezing, coughing and fever, do not rush to conclude that he has a cold. It is quite possible that we are talking about completely different diseases, and the treatment will also require a completely different one.
However, a dog can still catch a cold. However, the causes and course of the disease in dogs and humans are different.
If the dog is kept in the right conditions and eats well, if she has good genetics, strong immunity and no health problems, then she is not afraid of colds. The body confidently resists them, and in case of infection, it quickly copes with them. However, there are factors that reduce immunity, and then the dog becomes vulnerable to the “cold”. These are, for example, stress, infection with parasites, allergies or old age. Often the cause of the disease is hypothermia on the street or drafts at home. A dog that has not been properly dried after bathing and is exposed to air conditioning shortly thereafter will easily get sick. In a word, you can not predict all situations. Therefore, dogs, like people, get sick.
The main danger is that the symptoms of a cold in dogs develop very quickly. Without proper treatment, a viral infection is highly likely to develop into a bacterial one, which is fraught with serious complications.
Therefore, if you notice the first signs of illness in a dog, if you are worried about something in her behavior, do not be too lazy to immediately contact a veterinarian. Better to be safe. In addition, an inspection in any case will not be superfluous.
What “bells” speak of colds in dogs?
Signs of colds in dogs
Apathy, passivity, drowsiness or, conversely, restless behavior
Decreased appetite
Mucus discharge from the nose and eyes
Coughing, sneezing
Difficulty breathing, wheezing
An increase in body temperature (normal t of a dog, depending on the constitution, is from 37,5 to 39 degrees)
Ear scratching, head tilting to the side, head shaking, ear discharge (possible signs of otitis media, which can be caused by hypothermia)
Difficulties in urination: the dog looks for a place to urinate for a long time, tries to go to the toilet, but she does not succeed. This item also includes frequent urination in small portions, uncontrolled urination, pain when urinating, blood in the urine. All this is similar to signs of cystitis, one of the causes of which is hypothermia.
If you notice one or more of the symptoms listed, contact your veterinarian. Do not self-medicate and do not expect everything to go away “on its own”: without a professional examination and analysis, you cannot know what exactly the dog is ill with and what treatment she needs. Delay or incorrect treatment threatens the health and life of the pet.
Can you get a cold from a dog?
It is impossible to catch a cold from your pet, because different viruses affect humans and animals. The exception is rare cases when the disease is caused by common protozoa for humans and dogs. A detailed picture can only be voiced by a veterinarian based on tests and examination in each case.
Take care of your pets and be healthy!
